1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus and in particular to an image forming apparatus having a radio frequency identification (RFID) function.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, various apparatuses and/or articles employ an RFID technique. The RFID technique has been developed in accordance with changes in manufacturing modes, consumer consciousness of products, progress of culture and technique, and a demand for removing disadvantages of barcodes and magnetic cards. An RFID tag is a type of “contactless card,” i.e., the RFID tag does not require contact to serve its identification function.
The RFID tag is characterized in that a user is not required to insert the RFID tag into a card reader, the RFID tag is not be subjected to friction or damage because no mechanical contact is needed for identification (as opposed to a contact type card), and the RFID tag is seldom affected by contamination from an environment. An antenna continuously emits radio waves and the RFID tag, which stores an ID and data, transmits the ID and data to the antenna when it enters into an area of the radio waves transmitted by the antenna. In this event, the antenna converts the ID and data into a signal and transmits the signal to a personal computer (PC). The PC compares the signal with information previously stored in a data base (DB). While the frequency used in this event ranges from about 10 kHz to 300 GHz, a low-frequency (e.g., 134.2 kHz) is typically used. Hereinbelow, various features of the RFID tag are described.
First, various RFID tags can be recognized rapidly and at the same time, thereby saving processing time. Due to this advantage, RFID tags are a more effective substitute for barcodes and magnetic tags in a material flow field. Second, the RFID tag can be readily applied depending on a systematic characteristic or an environmental condition, and an application area of the RFID tag is large because a detection distance is long. The RFID tag (card) is a substitute for a contact type smart card, which has been employed in a conventional parking control system. Third, a life span of the RFID tag is long because the RFID tag has superior environmental resistance. Since a user is not required to insert an RFID tag card into a reader and there is no mechanical contact, frictional damage of the RFID tag card does not result, and an error rate of the RFID tag card is low under adverse conditions of dust, humidity, temperature, rain, or the like. Accordingly, the RFID tag can be frequently applied to a system in an open area. Fourth, the RFID tag need not be blocked by non-metallic materials. Fifth, the RFID tag can be used to recognize a body moving at a high speed. Because a time period required from an emission of a radio wave of an antenna until the radio wave is recognized is merely about 0.01 to 0.1 sec, the RFID tag is capable of being installed and adapted to a parking control system or an automatic fare collection system of a highway or tunnel. Due to various advantages as described above, the RFID technique is applied to various apparatus and systems.